Classic and Contemporary Collide

A master of style and acclaimed designer, Vanessa DeLeon has been impressing clients and onlookers since she began her career. With talent embedded in her soul, Vanessa has worked on numerous design-oriented television shows, including HGTV Design Star, and has continued to ‘wow’ people with her glamorous design tactics. She resides in Edgewater, New Jersey in a sensational, 4,000 square-foot townhome that she carefully drew out and designed herself. Determined to bridge traditional styles with modern touches, Vanessa has constructed a home that is nothing short of astonishing.

Beginning her aspirations in the fashion world, Vanessa attended The Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. Uninterested in the demeaning groove of the fashion industry, Vanessa made her pivot to home design, beginning in her father’s furniture store. At first, clients were asking Vanessa to accessorize rooms in their home but when they began presenting more complex projects, she decided to get more serious about home design and attended Berkeley College to pursue her newfound path. Vanessa opened up her design firm and was able to work with clients that created major opportunities for her. Vanessa’s passion is instilled in her and she uses the auras that resonate with her for inspiration. “I can look at something like a rug and create a design for an entire room,” Vanessa said.

When Vanessa began designing her own home, she was at a bit of a halt since she had a vision of a French Parisian flare and her husband was drawn to modern styles. Though a challenge at first, this allowed her to open up a whole new approach to her home, guiding her toward “modern meets traditional”. The exterior of the house is seamlessly modern on one side and traditional on the other, introducing a taste of the unique lavishness the interior of the home holds.

Vanessa wanted her home to be the embodiment of timeless. “It was important to hone in on something that was going to be forever,” Vanessa explained. The open layout in Vanessa’s townhome enabled her to create a flow throughout with pieces of each room complimenting the next. Upon entering the foyer, you are led into the parlor of the home. This impressive room is wrapped in hues of white and gray with hints of gold to accentuate the formal sophistication of the space. Vanessa and her family love to entertain, so tying in plush aspects to the formality of this room was essential. The large mirror featured above the fireplace doubles as a television, making this room one of the most utilized, and the perfect place to gather during the holidays. 

Photo Credits: Jesse Korman

The parlor has a bookcase to flank the foyer entrance and doubles as a secret door with a hidden room. Behind the bookcase rests a remarkable powder room that is everything but ordinary. A bookshelf-like wallpaper dresses the walls and the floor is covered in lacquered pages and pieces of books that Vanessa personally ripped out of some of her favorite novels and then covered them in resin. Completing this powder room is a concrete sink that was molded to mimic an open book, evoking a charmingly modern feel.

Photo Credits: Jesse Korman

The parlor area ascends into the dining room and the kitchen, highlighting the smooth continuance of the home and making entertaining a breeze with the adjoining spaces. The dining room offers a beautiful display of the black-accented staircase and emphasizes the dazzling Schonbek chandelier. The same chandelier is also hung in the parlor, but they do not appear the same due to a strategical height difference between them to create the illusion of two different lighting fixtures. The dining room table was designed by Vanessa and is featured in her furniture collection with Elbra. The table is surrounded by acrylic chairs with two traditional Louis-styled host chairs, which Vanessa painted “King” and “Queen” on to tie a modern element into the room.

The kitchen is probably the most outstanding room in the house with its length appearing endless and the eccentric approach to the way it was designed. Ravishing black cabinets and even a black True Manufacturing refrigerator, all caressed in copper accents with a copper hood over the stove line the back wall of the kitchen. “I didn’t want to do black and gold, so copper was relevant to the timeless element,” Vanessa explained. The La Cornue stove is a dark brown shade to add a slight contrast to the black, but is also accented with copper. The flow the home possesses is followed through in the kitchen with the Cambria quartz backsplash and island which add movement and dimension to the uniform of this kitchen design. The kitchen seems to extend all the way down to the French doors that open up to a lovely patio area, but there is actually a television inserted into the wall past the refrigerator. Across from the television is an Elbra collection couch, complete with a stunning modern art piece above the couch, creating a cozy and tucked away family room. 

Photo Credits: Jesse Korman

Parisian styles and modern twists are definitely apparent in the astonishing master bedroom. This bedroom is the epitome of luxury with bay windows embracing a bathtub, placed on a marble platform, along with a glass shower on the opposite wall. The elegant molding follows through onto the fireplace and a unique Luna Bella chandelier adds whimsy and even more charm to this romantic bedroom. The headboard and LED lights bring a modern component to the space. 

Photo Credits: Jesse Korman

The rooftop level of the home is equipped with a full bar, smoke-design wall and an exposed electric fireplace beneath the television. “This is definitely the man cave,” Vanessa said, “but it is a secondary family room, we spend time there at the end of the night.” The glass walls of this room stack open and convert the space into an indoor and outdoor area. This opens up to a beautifully manicured terrace area that overlooks stunning views of Edgewater. The terrace is complete with an acrylic-sided pool, making it a superb entertainment spot, and a vacation right at home. 

Vanessa’s home is intriguing from all angles, with custom pieces and personality embedded in each room. The care and time that was put into designing this home is apparent regardless of which part of the house you are in. The undeniable talent and love for design that Vanessa possesses shine through every inch of her extravagant home.